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Greek actress Thalia Prokopiou, dressed as the high priestess, lights the torch at the Temple of Hera using a parabolic mirror

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Prokopiou summons the sacred light of Apollo in the ruins of Ancient Olympia, where the Games were born in 776 BC

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It is the first time the torch has lit straight away since the ceremony for the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics

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As the torch is lit Prokopiou declares: "Apollo, god of the sun and the idea of light, send your rays and light the sacred torch for the hospitable city of Athens"

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The torch now begins a relay trip around the world, visiting all five continents represented by the Olympic rings

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The torch will visit every previous Olympic city and is expected to cover 48,500 miles in 27 different countries

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Greek javelin star Costas Gatzioudis takes the torch on the first leg of a seven-day trip through Greece